Today's News

Although The First Tee of Brunswick County is fewer than five years old, it has received high marks from its national office in St. Augustine, Fla.

Chapters of The First Tee are ranked according to their scope and performance, and I’m proud to say that our local chapter has received the “Ace” level designation, the highest rank possible. That is awesome, and a true testimony to the level of commitment by our kids, volunteers, paid staff, donors and community at large.

I vividly remember the day I first met Randy Thompson. It was my first week at the Beacon. Fresh off the sports desk with no hard news experience, I hit the ground running from day one.

The first week was a whirlwind—the county budget unveiled on day one, witnessing my first news story bleeding with the red ink of corrections on day two and a horrific fatal wreck on day three—that’s how it all began.

People driving along Main Street in Shallotte have no doubt seen the changes to the former furniture store beside Burger King.

The previously yellow building has been completely renovated with barn-red siding, new roof and a larger parking area.

The recently sold High Point Furniture Outlet is now on its way to becoming a new business in town, Nona’s Place, which will feature the work of local artisans and craftspeople as well as “shabby chic” antiques.

The Brunswick County Health Department recently received word from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 13 lots of H1N1 nasal spray manufactured by MedImmune have been recalled for potency reasons.

According to health department officials, Brunswick County received 500 doses of one of the lot numbers Oct. 4, and the vaccine was given Oct. 20. The health department does not have any doses of the recalled lot number left, and all the doses were administered before losing their potency, according to a department news release.

The computers will be used for the Computers for Kids project, an all-volunteer project that provides refurbished computers to students whose families cannot afford them. The computers are presented to middle school and high school students at all Brunswick County schools.

I was considering an article about gardener’s New Year’s resolutions, so I entered that into a search engine. Not much popped up, but a group of Master Gardeners from Maryland had numerous posts about planting native trees and shrubs.

This “native-only” stance has stirred something akin to religious fervor in some plant circles. I don’t have anything against native trees and shrubs, but I still think using well-adapted plants no matter where they come from is a better idea.

To start out the New Year right, sign up for gardening class at Brunswick Community College and/or take a seminar offered by the extension center. There is always new information coming out that will help you with your gardening skills and it’s a great way to meet more gardeners.

After scrounging around the kitchen for one last holiday goodie, you find a single sugar cookie hiding in the bottom tin. You grab it, and head toward the mountain of decorations that need to be packed away until next year. Several hours later, the last box has been shoved into the attic or garage. Surveying the house, you see that all the gifts have been put away and everything appears to be back to normal, finally.

The Roman god Janus, whose name we adopted for our month January, fastidiously guarded doorways, offering safe entry and exit from ancient homes. He looked forward and backward to ensure all was well.

In the same way, we take time annually to gaze upon the departure of the past 12 months and to look with eager anticipation to the coming year. We offer ourselves the gift of remembering, not simply for its own sake but so that we might empower positive change in the future.